Peters



v(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

W. R. SMITH D A. L. WASHBURN. GOIN GONTROLLED WBIGHING SCALES. No.418,822. 2 Patented Jan. 7,1890.

nllliillw"A r (No Model.) A 2 Sheets-Sheet' 2.

W. R. SMITH 8v A.L. WASHBURN. G01N GONTROLLBD 'WEIGHING SCALES. No.'418,822. l Patented Jan. 7,1890.

V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

`WILLIAM ROBERT SMITH, OF NEW YORKy N. Y., AND ALBERT LYMAN NVASH- BURN,CF NIANTIC, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOTHE STANDARD AUTOMATIC SCALE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COlN-CONTROLLED WEIGHING-SCALES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 418,822, dated January7, 1890.

Application led June 9, 1887. Serial No. 240,730. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

`Be it known that we, WILLIAM ROBERT SMITH, residing at New York, countyof New York and State of New York, and ALBERT LYMAN WASHBURN, residingat Niantic, Connecticut, citizens of the United States, have inventedcertain .new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Veighing-Scales,of which the following is a specification.

Our invention consists of an ordinary platform weighing-scales having anovel counterbalanc'e by which great simplicity and compactness areobtained in the construction.

It also consists in novel means for returning the indicator of thescales to the zeropoint after the weight upon the scales has beenindicated.

It also consists in certain improvements in the rack-bar and theactuating part of the indicating mechanism, whereby the actuating partis caused to move at a different rate of motion in its passage overdifferent points of the rack-bar. n

It also consists in alinovel form of toll or coin receiver, which isconnected with a latch locking the rack-bar, whereby a coin or othertoken introduced into the receiver constitutes part of a rigidconnection between the latch and the exterior of the case, which enablesthe latch to be released. The weighin g-levers of an ordinaryplatform-scale are connected by a bar moving in suitable bearings. Aband attached at one end to the bar passes over and is attached at theother end to a smalll pulley connected to a larger pulley, so

' as to turn with it, both of them being mounted upon the same arbor.VIn-the same way a band secured at one end to the large pulley passesover it'and is attached at its other end to a vertical shaft sliding insuitable bearings lconnected through a spring at its lower end to animmovable hook fixed in the frame of the machine and surmounted by areceptacle or cup, above which hangs a counter-weight, such as a chain.It follows that when the platform of the scales descend the bar revolvesthe smaller wheel, the band on the latter is taken up, and the shaft,receptacle, and

counter-weight are lifted against the stress of the spring, while thepressure of the counter-weight in the receptacle increases with the riseof the latter. Y

The rack which actuates the indicating mechanism is vertically above andentirely disconnected from the bar, connecting the weighing-levers ofthe platform, through the pulley, band, and shaft, with thecounterweight and spring. It moves vertically in suitable bearings, andwhen the weight is on the scales, onbeing released indicates the same ona dial by descending until stopped by abutting against the top of thebar, connecting the weighing-levers of the platform, through the pulley,band, and shaft, with the counter-weight and spring. The rack in itsdescent meshes with a pinion mounted upon a shaft, to which thedial-hand is attached. On the return of the scalesV to their normalposition by the removal of the weight the rack is pushed back intoplace, and in so doing actuates a pawl, which disconnects-the pinion onthe index-shaft from its rigid connection with the shaft, allowing-thelatter to revolve under the influence of a weight coiled upon a pulleyon the shaft by its prior rotation until the pointer returns to Zero,where further-revolution of the shaft is prevented by a stop engagingwith an arm on the shaft. Means are also rovided for carrvino theindexoint'eroand shaft beyond the zero-pointin'the absence-f the' stopand arm. f 1*' The latch-releasing mechanism consists of a chute havingan aperture large enough to admit a coin or token of the size required.The sides of the chute against which rest the edges of the coin consisteach of a pivoted lever, one of them rigidly connected with apush-button on the exterior of the case and the other with a latchengaging with the rack of the indicator. On the introduction of a coininto the chute it is arrested in its fall between the two pivoted sidesby projections thereon, becoming thus a rigid connection between thesame, so that on pressing the pushbutton the motion is transferredthrough the coin from one side of the chute to the other,

v.is

` of the weighing-scales.

and thelatch on the rack-bar is released, allowing it to fall andindicate the weight. The return of the rack-bar to its first positionopens the chute and causes the contained coin to be dropped into a boxprovided for the purpose.

Our improvements are adapted to t-he application Vof ordinary platformweighingscales, the platform being mounted upon any ordinary levermechanism for such scales, and therefore we deem it unnecessary to illustrate such ordinary mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate our invention, Figure lis a front view of the mechanism with the dial removed. Fig. 2 is a sideview, partly in section, of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; andFigs. 3 and 4 are enlarged views in perspective of the indicatorrack-bar and pinion. Fig. 5 is a View in perspective, partly in section,of the pinion and shaft, showing the means by which they are lockedtogether and released from each other.

A is a case or box in which our mechanism is fastened.

B is a bar, which slides in beariugsb b, and

.is connected with the weighing-levers of the platform of the scalesbelow by means of the rod C.

D is a small and D a large pulley, both rigidly connected together andmounted upon the same arbor d. A band d connects the pulley D with thebar B in such wise that when therev is no weight upon the platform andthe bar B is in its normal position the band d is wound up around thepulley D. A similar band d connects the pulley D with a barF, sliding inbearings e e in such wise that when the band d is'unwound fl is woundup, and vice versa.

F is a receptacle on the top of the bar E, into which thecounter-balance f, suspended above it, is gathered up when the bar E andits receptacle F rise.

G is a spring fastened at one end to the bottom of the bar E and at theother to the frame It follows that when a weight is placed upon theplatform of the scales the bar B descends and revolves the pulleys D andD bythe uncoiling of band d. The revolution of the pulley D coils up theband d, which lifts with it the bar E, gathering up the counter-balancef into the cup F and extending the spring G until the weight on theplatform is balanced.

H is a toothed rack sliding vertically in bearings h h and meshing witha pinion I,

Figs. 2, 3, and 5, loosely mounted upona shaft- J, which carries andrevolves the pointer K. The up movement of the rack II is limited by aset-screw 71,', turning in the nut h and its down movement by abuttingagainst the top of the bar B.

The shaft J, upon which the pinion I is mounted, turns in bearings j j,and carries a pulley Il and a weight Z, which is wound up by therevolution of the shaft and the pinion I bythe fall of the rack H butwhen the rack H is pushed up into its normal position by the rise of barla it disconnects the pinion I from shaft J, and allows the latter to berevolved by the fall of weight l until the pointer K is arrested by anarm Z on shaft J, Fig. 2, bringing up against stop l. lVhile rack H isfalling the pinion I and the shaft J are locked together in thefollowing way: The shaft J has at the end on which the pinion I isloosely mounted a recess I', Figs. 2 and 5, into which projects a rod I,having a pin e', extending above and moving back and forth in alongitudinal slot t" in the end of the shaft J. The pinion I, located onshaft J so as to project somewhat over the slot t" in the shaft, is alsoprovided with a notch i on its side, extending radially from its center,so that the turning of the pinion I on its shaft J brings its own radialnotch t at some moment in its revolution into coincidence with the slott" of the shaft J. If at this instant the rod I is pushed home into therecess I', the pin t', proj ecting above said slot e" in said shaft J,engages with the radial notch t in the side of the pinion I and locksthe shaft and thepinion together. A spring M normally presses againstthe head I of the rod I and holds it in engagement with the pinion I.The spring M is pushed back and the rod I withdrawn from engagement withthe pinion I by means of the pawl N, pivotcd at n and having` theextension n', through which the rod I passes. A lever O, pivotcd to thepawl N at o, projects into the path of the rack-bar H, but yields withits descent. O11 the rise of the rack H its teeth engage with. the-lever O, causing it to turn on its pivot 0 until its other end strikespin o', whereupon pawl N n,to which the lever O is pivotcd, also turnson its pivot n by the continued movement of the lever O until itsextension n', pressing against the head I, withdraws the rod I" from therecess I and disengages the pin z' from the slot t" in the pinion I,allowing the shaft J to revolve independently of the pinion. IVhen therackH returns to its normal position, thc pinion I has been rotated farenough to allow the pin on the rod I to be again pushed into engagementwith theradial notch t by the pressure of the spring M, the resistanceof the pawl N n being removed.

P is a bearing which holds the pinion I in place upon the shaft J.

In order to turn the pinion with 'increased rapidity during a certainpart of its revolution, an enlarged tooth Q, Figs. 3 and 4, is providedon the rack at a point corresponding to zero on the dial, and mesheswith the pinion I at Q', where the pinion is recessed for that purpose.The teeth on both the rack and the pinion are partly cut away at thispoint in order not tointerfere with its operation, but a narrow band ofteeth is retained on the rack sufficient to actuate the pawl N and itslever O, and a narrow band of teeth IOO ITO

ISO

is also retained at recess Q on the periphery of the pinion I to providefor its entire revolution in case of a great fall of the rack-bar H.This tooth Q serves to turn the pinion I and with it shaft J and pointerK beyond zero on the dial or any determinate point when not prevented bythe arm Z' and the stop Z".

Rack H is locked in position by means of the arm R, Fig. 2, pi voted atr, where it forms one side of a coin-chute S, having an aperture s onthe exterior of the case A. The other side of the chute S consists ofanother arm R', also pivoted at r and rigidly connected by a rod T witha push-button U on the exterior of the case. ArmsRR' are separated fromeach other by a distance corresponding tothe diameter of any given coinV, and have projections r" 0^", by means of which a coin dropped intothe chute is temporarily retained between them, and the coin, by forminga connection between the sides R R', allows the pressure on button U tobe transferred from the arm R to the arm R and to push it out ofengagement with the rack H.

u' is a yielding spring which returns the arm R to its locking position.

u" is a similar spring to return the arm R' y to its position after thepressure on the button U is removed.

t; is an adjusting-screw which regulates the distance between the sidesR R'.

It is evident that the looking of rack H in this part of our inventioncould equally Well be done by the arm R on the opposite side of thechute and the push-button be connected with the other arm, so that theunlocking would be accomplished by pulling in place of pressing thebutton. n

We do not limit ourselves to the use of our coin-receiver with thelocking mechanism or with weighing -scales alone, as the coin receiveris capable of application to a number of objects, the essential elementbeing that the coin itself becomes the unyielding connection throughwhich the mechanism operates. Any ri gid token may be substituted forthe coin.

Ve have shown our device for returning the pointer to zero by thedisengagement of the shaft and the pinion as applied tocounterbalance-scales; but it can be applied equally well tospring-scales.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, in weighing-scales,

. with the platform-connections, of the bar B,

pulleys D D', bar E, connecting mechanism, areceptacle, andcounter-balance f, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in weighing-scales,

arm R, pivoted at r, set-screw fu, and coin *Vfl whereby on the droppingof a coin into the chute the movement of arm R can be controlled by thepush-button, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of shaft J, having slot t" and recess I', pinion I,having notch t", rod I", having pin 1T, and spring M, substantially asset forth.-

5. Thecombination of shaft J, having slot t" and recess I', pinion I,having notch fi", rod I", having pin t', pawl N n', lever O, and rack H,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of shaft J, having slot t" and recess I', pinion I,having notch i", rod I, having pin t', spring M, pawl N n', lever O, andrack H, substantially as set forth.

7 rlhe combination, with rack H, of shaft J, pinion I, loosely mountedupon shaft J, and means for locking the pinion to the shaft and fordisengaging the shaft from the pinion, of pulley L and Weight Z, wherebywhen the rack rises the pulley is revolved, lifting the weight, and whenthe pinion is released the shaft is revolved by the pulley and weight,substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, in weighing-scales, with platform-connections, thebar B, and means for balancing the Weight on the platform, of the rackH, the tooth Q, the pinion I, having recess Q', the shaft J, carryin gapointer K, a dial, means, as described, for locking and unlocking theshaft J and the pinion I, the pulley L, the weight Z, the arm Z', andthe stop Z", substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

9. The combination of the push-button U, the rod T, the chute S, thepivoted side R', the pivoted locking-arm R, and the coin V, whereby onthe dropping of a coin into the chute the movement of locking-arm R canbe cont-rolled by the push-button, substantially as described.

l0. In a coinoperated weighing-scale, the combination, with avertically-sliding independent rack, of a latching deviceV for saidrack, a coin-receptacle, a coin, and a connection with the exterior ofthe scales, whereby a coin introduced into the receptacle permits thecontrol of the latching device by force applied to the exteriorconnection and exerted against the coin, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM ROBERT SMITH. ALBERT LYMAN VVASHBURN. Witnesses:

HARRY IWI. TURK, GUsTAv SCHNEPP.

IOC

